Nursing M.S.N.

The Master of Science in Nursing degree at MTSU helps address a critical shortage
of Family Nurse Practitioners with high-quality, affordable, and time-efficient studies.
Coursework is completed online, except for clinical rotations through approved preceptors
(in the student's home area when possible). Family Nurse Practitioners deliver comprehensive
primary health care services to all ages and help provide health care to underserved
populations. Full-time or part-time study is available. The program increases access
to graduate education for practicing nurses who need time flexibility and for those
in remote areas.

Full-time clinical manager fits in nurse practitioner online program

Lorrie Richardson (B.S., Nursing, ’97) works full-time as a surgery center’s clinical
manager while studying for her master’s at MTSU in the Family Nurse Practitioner concentration
with the online program. “The ability to go at my own speed and continue to work while
earning my degree made this particular program appealing to me,” she says. “I have
also had a lot of encouragement from family and friends to pursue advanced education.
The first semester of the program was challenging; however, there is so much assistance
that I was able to catch on quickly.” She also has enjoyed being a part of the learning
experience for first-year nursing students through a graduate assistantship. Richardson,
who may pursue a Ph.D., earned her certification as an ambulatory perianesthesia nurse
(CAPA) in 2012. She has worked on the vascular/telemetry floor and in emergency services
and ambulatory surgery.

Nurse educator Lisa Murphree became an assistant professor at MTSU after receiving
her Master of Science in Nursing in August 2010 through the Regents Online Campus
Collaborative. She’s in a clinical track position coordinating and teaching medical
surgical clinical, while also working on a doctoral degree. “I very much appreciated
the online format of the M.S.N. program, which helped balance family, part-time work,
and graduate work,” Murphree says. “The practicum provided a wonderful bridge between
school and a teaching position.” She calls the M.S.N. program “challenging, worthwhile,
and a good value. The graduate courses in the education track through ROCC have already
proven to be great preparation for the Ed.D. for Nurse Educators degree I am pursuing.”

The Master of Nursing programs helps train nurses who seek to practice as advanced
clinicians, want to teach in entry-level nursing programs, or wish to manage professional
practice workplaces. Graduates may work in a variety of settings including hospitals,
nursing homes, businesses, private practices, HMOs, schools and community centers

Employers of MTSU alumni include

Fast Pace Urgent Care

Frist Group

Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare

Middle Tennessee State University

Primary Care Hope Clinic

St. Thomas Hospital System

Stonecrest Medical Center

Take Care Clinic at Walgreen

Tennova Healthcare

Graduate

MTSU’s School of Nursing offers the Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) degree with
a concentration of Family Nurse Practitioner.

The program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
and approved by the Tennessee Board of Nursing.

Deadline to be fully admitted to graduate studies at MTSU and to have required documents
received by MTSU's School of Nursing:

October 1 — for Spring term admission

February 1 — for Summer term admission

April 1 — for Fall term admission

MTSU is currently not accepting out-of-state applicants for the MSN program.

Recent information indicates that the varied requirements in these states is prohibitive,
placing an undue financial and administrative burden on the University. Since this
situation is not likely to change in the near future, it is recommended that you seek
an alternative institution for your graduate study plans.

For complete curriculum details, click on the REQUIREMENTS tab above.

Other programs offered

Students holding a MSN degree may pursue a Nursing Post Masters Certificate as a Family
Nurse Practitioner.

The MTSU School of Nursing also offers selected graduate courses which may be transferred to programs offering
the Master of Science in Nursing.

Undergraduate

Undergraduates in the School of Nursing may pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree via a traditional four-year baccalaureate program, first as a pre-nursing
major and then, after three semesters and acceptance to the upper division, as a nursing
major.

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) if needed. Graduate school score requirements vary by TBR university. Consult the graduate admission requirements at each campus for further details.

Application Procedures

Students are advised to contact the graduate program advisor in the School of Nursing before beginning the application procedure. Applications are due by October 1 for spring admission, February 1 for summer admission, and April 1 for fall admission.

Practicum (6 hours)

Program Notes

The School of Nursing also offers selected graduate courses that may be transferred to programs offering the Master of Science in Nursing. Other courses designed to assist individuals to meet the requirements of the State of Tennessee Board of Nursing for a Certificate of Fitness to practice as an Advanced Practice Nurse are also available. Please contact the School of Nursing for further information.

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) if needed. Graduate school score requirements vary by TBR university. Consult the graduate admission requirements at each campus for further details.

Application Procedures

Students are advised to contact the graduate program advisor in the School of Nursing before beginning the application procedure. Applications are due by October 1 for spring admission, February 1 for summer admission, and April 1 for fall admission.

NURS 6103 - Advanced Pathophysiology

3 credit hours

Explores an in-depth scientific knowledge base relevant to selected pathophysiological states confronted by advanced practice nurses. Provides a basis for the foundation of clinical decisions related to selected diagnostic tests and the initiation of therapeutic regimens. Pathophysiology across the lifespan correlated to clinical diagnoses and management. Offered spring, summer, and fall.

NURS 6104 - Advanced Pharmacology

3 credit hours

Focuses on pharmacology and therapeutics used in the treatment of selected health conditions commonly encountered by the advanced practice nurse. Emphasis placed on the decision-making process utilized to safely and effectively prescribe and monitor pharmacotherapeutics appropriate to the client situation. Offered spring, summer, and fall semesters.

NURS 6204 - Curriculum Design and Educational Theory

3 credit hours

Prerequisites: Admission to the MTSU MSN program and NURS 6000. Introduces traditional and contemporary considerations for curriculum planning and design as applied to nursing education. Emphasis placed on curriculum designs and exploration of major research-based theories of adult and nursing education. Concepts applied to a variety of settings and/or levels of education. Offered spring, summer, and fall semesters.

NURS 6205 - Evaluation Methods of Nursing Education

3 credit hours

Prerequisites: Admission to the MTSU MSN program and NURS 6002. Analysis of testing, benchmarking, and evaluating methods in the clinical practice of nursing across classroom, seminar, and electronic formats; includes evaluation methods to ensure competency in the clinical area. Offered spring, summer, and fall semesters.

Clinical Focus Course (3 hours)

NURS 6505 - Advanced Adult Health Nursing

3 credit hours

Prerequisites: Admission to the MTSU MSN Program. Focuses on advancing the knowledge base of professional nurses on selected acute and chronic illnesses impacting the health of adults. Emphasis on acquiring advanced, specialized knowledge of adult health at a graduate level. Selected research from a variety of disciplines will be analyzed and discussed from theoretical and evidenced-based practice perspectives. Offered spring and fall semesters.

NURS 6635 - Advanced Pediatric Nursing

3 credit hours

Prerequisites: NURS 6101, NURS 6102, NURS 6103, NURS 6104. Focuses on health maintenance and health promotion for children and their families. Care for children and families experiencing both acute and chronic illness/disabilities are addressed. Offered spring semester.

Program Notes

The School of Nursing also offers selected graduate courses that may be transferred to programs offering the Master of Science in Nursing. Other courses designed to assist individuals to meet the requirements of the State of Tennessee Board of Nursing for a Certificate of Fitness to practice as an Advanced Practice Nurse are also available. Please contact the School of Nursing for further information.

Nursing, Advanced Practice: Family Nurse Practitioner, M.S.N.

The School of Nursing offers the Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) in an online format that includes one concentration: Advanced Practice (Family Nurse Practitioner). Courses are offered each semester (Fall, Spring, and Summer).

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) if needed. Graduate school score requirements vary by TBR university. Consult the graduate admission requirements at each campus for further details.

Application Procedures

Students are advised to contact the graduate program advisor in the School of Nursing before beginning the application procedure. Applications are due by October 1 for spring admission, February 1 for summer admission, and April 1 for fall admission.

Curriculum: Nursing, Advanced Practice: Family Nurse Practitioner

Core (15 hours)

NURS 6000 - Theoretical Foundations of Evidence Based Practice

3 credit hours

Prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 6002; admission to the MTSU MSN program. Provides the theoretical foundations for advanced nursing practice. Focuses on the critical components of contemporary nursing knowledge; explores the nature of theory development in nursing; examines relevance of concepts from basic and applied sciences; analysis and evaluation of nursing and related theories; and relevance of theory in terms of impact on professional nursing practice, individuals, families, and groups as clients in health care systems. Offered spring, summer, and fall semesters.

NURS 6001 - Healthcare Policy

3 credit hours

Prerequisite: Admission to the MTSU MSN program. Designed to further knowledge in health care policy and how its use impacts the health care delivery system. Within this context students will read about and discuss aspects of health care delivery, access and equity of the health care system, health disparities and how they impact delivery and policy, and how advanced practice nursing can impact health policy. Intended for master level students in the health care arena. Offered spring, summer and fall semesters.

NURS 6002 - Advanced Nursing Research

3 credit hours

Prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 6000; admission to the MTSU MSN program. Involves the systematic examination and application of the research process. Concept of evidenced-based practice and its application to nursing critically examined. Offered spring, summer, and fall semesters.

NURS 6990 - Scholarly Synthesis

3 credit hours

Pre- or corequisite: All MTSU MSN nursing courses; NURS 6209 or NURS 6309 or NURS 6410 or NURS 6609. A culminating experience which provides the opportunity to synthesize current knowledge in the major or concentration area of study. Offered spring, summer, and fall semesters. To be taken the last semester of study or by permission from the department. Offered spring, summer, and fall semesters.

NURS 6103 - Advanced Pathophysiology

3 credit hours

Explores an in-depth scientific knowledge base relevant to selected pathophysiological states confronted by advanced practice nurses. Provides a basis for the foundation of clinical decisions related to selected diagnostic tests and the initiation of therapeutic regimens. Pathophysiology across the lifespan correlated to clinical diagnoses and management. Offered spring, summer, and fall.

NURS 6104 - Advanced Pharmacology

3 credit hours

Focuses on pharmacology and therapeutics used in the treatment of selected health conditions commonly encountered by the advanced practice nurse. Emphasis placed on the decision-making process utilized to safely and effectively prescribe and monitor pharmacotherapeutics appropriate to the client situation. Offered spring, summer, and fall semesters.

Program Notes

The School of Nursing also offers selected graduate courses that may be transferred to programs offering the Master of Science in Nursing. Other courses designed to assist individuals to meet the requirements of the State of Tennessee Board of Nursing for a Certificate of Fitness to practice as an Advanced Practice Nurse are also available. Please contact the School of Nursing for further information.

Additional Information

The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree is currently offering the Family Nurse
Practitioner (FNP) track. Family nurse practitioners provide primary care for individuals
across the lifespan, and many provide care to indigent and uninsured populations.
Our MSN graduates are providing primary care in middle Tennessee and across the country.

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